🎯Today's Defense Pulse
Updated 1h agoWhat's happening: U.S. Navy seeks advanced anti‑radiation missile to hit airborne radars
NAVAIR issued a Sources Sought notice for an Advanced Emission Suppression Missile (AESM) that would surpass the range of the AGM‑88G and add capability to engage both air‑to‑air and air‑to‑ground targets. The missile must integrate with the F/A‑18E/F Super Hornet, EA‑18G Growler and F‑35C, featuring a broadband seeker, GPS/INS guidance and robust ECCM.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Anthropic closes $30B funding round at $380B valuation
News•Feb 19, 2026
Federal CIO Tapped for Dual-Hatted Role at GSA
Federal Chief Information Officer Greg Barbaccia was appointed acting director of the General Services Administration’s Technology Transformation Services (TTS) and senior advisor to the GSA administrator. Barbaccia retains his titles as federal CIO, chief AI officer, and service‑delivery lead, consolidating a broad portfolio of government‑wide tech oversight. The TTS portfolio includes Login.gov, FedRAMP, and the federal identity‑proofing system, with a focus on emerging technologies and cross‑agency digital delivery. Meanwhile, former TTS director Thomas Shedd moves to a senior advisory role on fraud prevention after overseeing significant staff reductions and the shutdown of 18F.
By GovExec
Social•Feb 19, 2026
U.S. Iran Buildup: Air‑Sea Power, No Ground Invasion
U.S. military buildup against Iran differs from 2003 Iraq. I had a talk with @FoxNews on why. https://t.co/gE5P3qQ9of "The strategic objective in both cases is coercion, shaping an adversary’s decision calculus through visible military power. But while the scale of...
By John Spencer
Social•Feb 19, 2026
Armenia Faces Nuclear Dilemma, U.S. Aid Could Break Deadlock
Armenia's power is supplied by what is widely considered the least safe nuclear reactor on the planet, and it has no money to replace it. With Russia occupied in Ukraine, the country is desperately searching for a solution. On one end,...
By Peter Zeihan
News•Feb 19, 2026
Leidos Seeks to Be the Government's 'Beta Tester' For Artificial Intelligence
Leidos CEO Tom Bell said the firm will act as the government’s beta tester for artificial intelligence, embedding AI across its NorthStar 2030 strategy and digital modernization unit. The company plans to prototype AI tools internally before delivering them to...
By Washington Technology
News•Feb 19, 2026
Five Companies Protest Exclusion From NASA’s $60B SEWP VI Competition
NASA’s $60 billion SEWP VI IT contract excluded five vendors, prompting protests filed with the Government Accountability Office. The GAO must issue rulings by May 27, a timeline that could push award announcements past the current SEWP V deadline of April 30. Delays may force...
By Washington Technology
Social•Feb 19, 2026
US Must Test Agile Combat Employment Against Iranian Threat
If this goes down with Iran, the USAF should put its Agile Combat Employment (ACE) playbook to the test. Having billions and billions in hard to replace fighter aircraft packed on ramps at a couple bases is not a recipe...
By Tyler Rogoway
News•Feb 19, 2026
Cyber Responses Will Be ‘Linked to Adversary Actions,’ Involve Industry: White House
The White House announced that future U.S. cyber responses will be directly linked to specific adversary actions and will involve close coordination with state and local governments as well as private‑sector operators of critical infrastructure. The approach will be codified...
By Defense One
Blog•Feb 19, 2026
BONUS In Brief: Vibes Out of Munich
The episode dissects the 62nd Munich Security Conference, highlighting Europe’s push for strategic autonomy, lingering reliance on the U.S., and a shared sense that the post‑World War II liberal order is eroding. Guests note France’s view that autonomy is a strategic...
By War on the Rocks
News•Feb 19, 2026
BAE Systems Shares Are Up 23% in 2026. Is This FTSE 100 Defense Stock a Buy?
BAE Systems posted an 8% revenue rise and a 9% jump in operating profit for 2025, expanding its order book by £2.7 bn versus 2024. The company lifted its dividend 10% to 36p per share, while its stock surged 23% year‑to‑date,...
By Morningstar UK – News
News•Feb 19, 2026
Russia Warns of Escalation as US-Iran Tensions Intensify
Russia warned of an unprecedented escalation around Iran as the United States completes a military buildup slated for mid‑March. A Russian corvette joined Iranian naval drills in the Gulf of Oman, underscoring Moscow’s support amid heightened US‑Iran tensions. Negotiations over...
By BusinessLIVE (South Africa) – RSS hub
News•Feb 19, 2026
World Briefs | Nigeria’s Tinubu and Germany’s Merz Talk Security, Power Deal in Phone Call
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed reviving a stalled electricity transmission project with Siemens and the purchase of used German helicopters, highlighting deeper security and power cooperation. France’s audit office warned that the country must shift...
By BusinessLIVE (South Africa) – RSS hub
Social•Feb 19, 2026
European Spies Say Russia Isn’t Seeking Peace, Talks Futile
“European intelligence chiefs are pessimistic about the chances of an agreement being reached this year to end Russia's war in Ukraine, despite Donald Trump's assertions that U.S.-brokered talks have brought the prospect of a deal ‘reasonably close’. The heads of five...
By Rob Lee
Social•Feb 19, 2026
Russian Warship Joins Iran for Exercises Amid US Carrier Presence
"Russian Navy Arrives in Bandar Abbas for Iranian Exercises" https://t.co/hjA8OQ7oV1 The Russian Steregushchiy-class corvette Stoykiy (F545) has arrived in Bandar Abbas in advance of a naval exercise to be held jointly with the regular Iranian Navy at the end of this week. ...
By John Spencer
News•Feb 18, 2026
AIAA Identifies Top Technologies Transforming Aerospace
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) released a new report identifying ten technologies that will reshape aerospace by 2045, based on a survey of over 700 experts and interviews with senior leaders. The list includes AI‑aided design, alternative...
By AIAA – Industry News (Aerospace)
Social•Feb 19, 2026
UK Blocks US Access to Bases, Hampering Iran Bombing Campaign
U.K. Denying U.S. Use Of Key Bases Would Impact Bombers’ Role In Iran Air Campaign The U.K. is reportedly preventing the U.S. from using Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford to attack Iran. https://t.co/YUPo74NyHL
By Tyler Rogoway
Social•Feb 19, 2026
US‑Israeli Strikes Will Hurt Iran, yet Conflict Persists
"They’ll definitely take terrible damage from combined U.S.-Israeli strikes. But that doesn’t mean it ends quickly, or clean — and they do have some ability to impose some costs in the other direction.” Our latest on the U.S. state of play...
By Dan Lamothe
News•Feb 18, 2026
U.S. Firms Test Venom Autonomous Strike Aircraft
Divergent Technologies and Mach Industries unveiled Venom, an autonomous strike aircraft prototype that reached flight readiness in just 71 days. The rapid development leveraged Mach's modular open‑systems architecture and Divergent's Adaptive Production System, which uses additive manufacturing to produce monolithic...
By Defence Blog
Social•Feb 19, 2026
Navy F-16Cs Set for Aggressor Paint Schemes
I would expect the Navy F-16Cs will finally be getting aggressor paint jobs now that they go through a tailored depot program. I have a feeling we will be impressed.
By Tyler Rogoway
Social•Feb 19, 2026
Trump’s Middle East Buildup Raises Iran Strike Odds
Chatted with @kaileyleinz and @JMathieuReports on @BloombergTV about Trump’s military buildup in the Middle East. My take: Strikes on Iran are increasingly likely based on the scale of airpower and types of equipment we’ve seen flow into the region. https://t.co/mueW9lox9q
By Becca Wasser
News•Feb 18, 2026
Poland Bans Chinese-Made Cars From Entering Military Sites
Poland’s senior army commanders have issued a directive barring Chinese‑manufactured cars from entering protected military facilities. The move targets vehicles whose sensors, software or connectivity modules could transmit location and other sensitive data. It aligns Poland with recent U.S. and...
By The Record by Recorded Future
Social•Feb 19, 2026
Russia Turns to Balloon Internet After Starlink Loss
Russia Eyes Balloon Communications System To Fill Massive Gap Left After Losing Starlink SpaceX has cut off Russia's access to Starlink and now Moscow is scrambling to find a replacement. https://t.co/YIhWYjTEhE
By Tyler Rogoway
Social•Feb 19, 2026
ICBM Guard Teams Must Adopt New Tactics for Sentinel Silos
ICBM-Guarding Security Forces Will Need Fresh Tactics To Defend New Sentinel Silos Security Forces tasked with defending Minuteman III ICBMs currently train for everything from retaking captured silos to repelling ground assaults. https://t.co/6zokg3hmvu
By Tyler Rogoway
News•Feb 18, 2026
Notice: Countering Illegal Use of UAS Around Prisons and Sensitive Sites
The UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) competition, backed by the Ministry of Justice, MOD and other security agencies, seeks low‑collateral technologies to neutralise hostile drones near prisons, critical infrastructure and other sensitive sites. Up to £1.85 million in funding will support two...
By UK Ministry of Defence (GOV.UK)
Blog•Feb 18, 2026
U.S. Allies and Adversaries’ Reactions to Operation Absolute Resolve to Capture Maduro
On Jan. 3 the United States launched Operation Absolute Resolve, a raid that bombed Venezuela’s air defenses, engaged in a gun battle and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, resulting in at least 100 deaths. The UN Security Council...
By Just Security
News•Feb 18, 2026
Defence Giant BAE Hails Record Sales as Workers Remain on Strike
BAE Systems announced record 2025 results, with sales rising 10% to £30.7 billion and pre‑tax profit climbing to £2.6 billion. The company highlighted a historic order backlog as global defence budgets surge amid geopolitical tension. Meanwhile, Unite union members at the Lancashire...
By BBC News – Business
News•Feb 18, 2026
Two Americas on Display in Munich
The Munich Security Conference, long‑standing forum for transatlantic dialogue, revealed stark contrasts between U.S. policy strands this year. While European officials pressed for a unified stance against Russian aggression, American participants displayed divergent messages reflecting domestic political divides. The conference...
By RealClearWorld – Security/Defense (alt aggregation)
News•Feb 18, 2026
Why GPS III, and What Comes After It, Still Falls Short in Modern War
The United States is completing its GPS III constellation, the most extensive PNT upgrade in a decade, delivering higher accuracy, stronger signals and improved anti‑jam features. Analysts argue that while GPS III and the upcoming GPS IIIF add incremental resilience, they do not...
By SpaceNews
Blog•Feb 18, 2026
From Commitment to Action: The Next Steps in Holding Russia’s Leaders Accountable for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine
The Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (STCA) was formalised on 25 June 2025 by Ukraine and the Council of Europe, creating a dedicated venue to prosecute Russian leaders for the war of aggression. The ICC lacks jurisdiction because...
By Just Security
Social•Feb 18, 2026
Dispersed Troops Derailed Ukraine’s Plan to Cut Crimea Supply
From an interview with Valerii Zaluzhnyi regarding the 2023 offensive: “The original plan was to concentrate enough forces into a “single fist” to retake the partially occupied region of Zaporizhzhia — home to a vital nuclear power plant — and then...
By Rob Lee
Social•Feb 18, 2026
Iran, China, Russia Joint Drill Threatens US Middle East Plans
What Iran’s Naval Exercise With China And Russia In The Strait Of Hormuz Actually Means The Maritime Security Belt 2026 exercise comes as the U.S. is flowing forces to the Middle East ahead of a possible attack on Iran. https://t.co/28TZDJkik0
By Tyler Rogoway
News•Feb 18, 2026
Leonardo DRS Joins SHIELD Missile Defense Program
Leonardo DRS announced it has secured multiple awards under the Missile Defense Agency’s SHIELD IDIQ contract, which carries a shared ceiling of $151 billion. The contracts position the company to compete for future task orders aimed at accelerating the development and...
By Defence Blog
Social•Feb 18, 2026
India Navy Seizes Shadow Fleet, Triggering Domino Effect
India's navy has begun seizing shadow fleet tankers in its exclusive economic zone. As I've said in other videos covering the shadow fleet, once the first domino falls...the rest will quickly follow. #crudeoil #crude #india #geopolitics https://t.co/IVVPGp8cQ7
By Peter Zeihan
Social•Feb 18, 2026
Lockheed CEO Rules
Lockheed CEO Taiclet says LMT never considered spinning off part of biz to allow for direct DoD ownership stake: L3Harris "didn't have, I guess, apparently, the resource to manage the scaling themselves." If regulators had allowed LMT to buy Aerojet "we...
By Valerie Insinna
News•Feb 18, 2026
Anchors Away: The Perils of Our Shipbuilding Imbalance
The article warns that the United States Navy faces a growing shipbuilding imbalance, with production capacity falling short of strategic demand. Historical lessons from World War II and Mahanian doctrine underscore the risk of a weakened fleet. Current procurement pipelines are...
By RealClearDefense
Social•Feb 18, 2026
Boeing Returns Defense HQ to St. Louis, F/A-XX Future Uncertain
Boeing just announced the move of its defense unit HQ back to St. Louis, where McDonnell Douglas was headquartered (and where Boeing continues to build fighters and weapons). Industry always welcomes a SecDef visit but real question for workforce will be...
By Valerie Insinna
Social•Feb 18, 2026
Updated Design Adds Bigger Tail Flag, Cooler Engines
New design (left). First Trump admin (right). Much larger flag on the tail, different color on the engines--possibly related to the thermal concerns raised a couple years back. https://t.co/e5GPwczads
By Brian Everstine
News•Feb 18, 2026
Army Leaders Say Future European Fight Could Mean 1,500 Targets Daily
U.S. Army leaders warn that a future large‑scale conflict in Europe could involve engaging roughly 1,500 targets in a single day. The figure reflects the anticipated intensity of combined‑arms operations against a near‑peer adversary. To meet this demand, the Army...
By RealClearDefense
Social•Feb 18, 2026
Aging E‑3 Fleet Deployed to Iran, Highlighting Capability Gaps
Major Deployment Of Rickety E-3 Sentry Fleet For Iran Crisis Highlights Worrisome Gaps The shrunken E-3 fleet isn't getting any younger, and a replacement is still far off while demand for its services would be far greater in the Pacific. Story: https://t.co/bX9Y8kMlqE
By Tyler Rogoway
Social•Feb 18, 2026
MBDA Develops Sovereign, Interoperable European Military Space Network
European missile maker @MBDAGroup on building a sovereign, interoperable military space network. @defis_eu #EuropeanSpaceConf. https://t.co/EXzbZr66rT https://t.co/EA9DMPiTXE
By Peter B. de Selding
News•Feb 18, 2026
Apache Helicopters Downed Drones With 30mm Proximity Ammo
The U.S. Army’s AH‑64 Apache attack helicopter successfully employed 30 mm proximity‑fuzed ammunition to engage and destroy unmanned aerial vehicles during a December training exercise at Yuma Proving Ground. This marks the first documented air‑to‑air kill by an Apache using purpose‑built...
By RealClearDefense
Social•Feb 18, 2026
Angolan Journalist Targeted with Predator Spyware, Study Shows
A new investigation from @AmnestyTech found that a journalist in Angola was targeted with Predator spyware in 2024. We also know that @citizenlab found links to Predator infrastructure in Angola in 2023, and links to FinFisher infrastructure in 2015. https://t.co/N2TIUdGKkn
By Runa Sandvik
News•Feb 18, 2026
U.S. Contract Sends Revolutionary Naval Drones to Japan
The U.S. Air Force has awarded Liquid Robotics a $25 million sole‑source contract to deliver 20 unmanned surface vehicles to Japan under a Foreign Military Sales program. The award covers control software, mission‑specific payloads, and launch‑recovery equipment, with work slated for...
By Defence Blog
News•Feb 18, 2026
C3BM Launches Software Developer Student Pipeline
The Department of the Air Force’s Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management (C3BM) has launched the first iteration of a software developer student pipeline. The program targets Airmen from Kessel Run, the Operational Response Team, and the Conjure branch of...
By U.S. Space Force – News (All Entries)
News•Feb 18, 2026
Vantor Partners with Google AI to Automate Intelligence Reports for Government Agencies
Vantor, a commercial Earth‑observation satellite operator, announced a partnership with Google to run Google Earth AI models inside classified, air‑gapped government networks. The AI will automatically generate text‑based intelligence reports from Vantor’s own, third‑party, or sovereign imagery, cutting analysis time...
By SpaceNews
News•Feb 18, 2026
U.S. Army Signs $73.5M Deal for Merkava Propulsion Systems
The U.S. Army awarded Rolls‑Royce Solutions America a $73.5 million Foreign Military Sales contract to deliver Merkava tank power‑pack kits and engineering services for Israel, part of a larger $462.9 million sustainment agreement. The work, slated for completion by December 2032, will be...
By Defence Blog
News•Feb 18, 2026
China Gives Lithuania Punishing Silent Treatment over Taiwan
In 2021 Lithuania permitted a Taiwanese representative office to use the name "Taiwan" rather than "Taipei," directly challenging Beijing's One‑China policy. China answered not with public sanctions but with a silent diplomatic freeze, withdrawing embassy staff and removing Lithuania from...
By Asia Times – Defense
News•Feb 18, 2026
Washington National Guard Strengthens Readiness Ahead of World Cup 2026
Washington’s National Guard is boosting its counter‑drone readiness ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, holding a Field‑Ready Range Day at Joint Base Lewis‑McChord that united military, law‑enforcement, and interagency partners. The exercise focused on detecting, tracking, and neutralizing hostile...
By U.S. Army – News
News•Feb 18, 2026
SpaceX Unveils Space Traffic Management System
SpaceX announced Stargaze, a space‑situational awareness platform that leverages star‑tracker cameras on its nearly 10,000 Starlink satellites to collect about 30 million observations per day. The system generates near‑real‑time conjunction data messages and will be offered free to all satellite operators...
By SpaceNews
News•Feb 18, 2026
UK Caps Launch Liability in Timely Boost for Nascent Domestic Market
On February 18, the UK enacted a €60 million liability cap for launch operators under the Space Industry (Indemnities) Act 2025, replacing the previous unlimited exposure. The cap, which must be included in launch licences, is intended to make the nascent UK...
By SpaceNews
News•Feb 18, 2026
British Army’s Project Stokes 120mm Mortar Bids Due in March 2026
The British Army’s Project Stokes aims to field a new 120 mm Light Mounted Mortar Variant‑Hinge, with bids due by the end of March 2026 following a late‑2025 request for information. The programme revives the historic Stokes name and seeks a domestically...
By Shephard Media